Sullivan powers Bulldogs past Vikings

Crestview's Dustin Kervin makes a play in right field against Fort Walton Beach on Friday.

NICK TOMECEK / Daily News

By SETH STRINGER / Daily News

Published: Monday, March 3, 2014 at 03:57 AM.

FORT WALTON BEACH — Nick Rathke's first mistake was hanging an 0-2 pitch to Crestview outfielder Hunter Sullivan. The Fort Walton Beach right-hander's second was making the exact same pitch two innings later to Sullivan.

The two down-the-middle fastballs resulted in a first-inning solo homer and later a two-run double in the third frame to lead Crestview to a 3-2 win over Fort Walton Beach in Friday’s District 1-7A opener at Daniel D. Bohannon Field.

"It feels awesome," said Sullivan, who went 2 for 4 with three RBIs. "It was a team effort tonight and I just love my team."

Asked if he was surprised Rathke made the same mistake, Sullivan responded, "Real Surprised."

So was Crestview head coach Tim Gillis.

"He's an aggressive hitter," Gillis, whose team is 4-3 overall, said. "He got a couple of pitches to hit and took advantage of it. He's been like that all year."

Picking up the win for Crestview was Matt Gillis, who kept Fort Walton Beach (2-3, 0-1) off balance the entire night. The senior left-hander struck out six and allowed two runs – zero earned – on seven hits and a pair of walks. But he needed help from Colter Hancock to close out the win.

FORT WALTON BEACH — Nick Rathke's first mistake was hanging an 0-2 pitch to Crestview outfielder Hunter Sullivan. The Fort Walton Beach right-hander's second was making the exact same pitch two innings later to Sullivan.

The two down-the-middle fastballs resulted in a first-inning solo homer and later a two-run double in the third frame to lead Crestview to a 3-2 win over Fort Walton Beach in Friday’s District 1-7A opener at Daniel D. Bohannon Field.

"It feels awesome," said Sullivan, who went 2 for 4 with three RBIs. "It was a team effort tonight and I just love my team."

Asked if he was surprised Rathke made the same mistake, Sullivan responded, "Real Surprised."

So was Crestview head coach Tim Gillis.

"He's an aggressive hitter," Gillis, whose team is 4-3 overall, said. "He got a couple of pitches to hit and took advantage of it. He's been like that all year."

Picking up the win for Crestview was Matt Gillis, who kept Fort Walton Beach (2-3, 0-1) off balance the entire night. The senior left-hander struck out six and allowed two runs – zero earned – on seven hits and a pair of walks. But he needed help from Colter Hancock to close out the win.

Matt Gillis was chased after Casey Wehrhahn laced a double off the left field wall, David Mayberry beat out an infield single and Darren Hasch sacrificed the two into scoring position. In came Hancock, who gave up an initial infield single to Kevin Jones before racking up back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded to close out the district win and earn the save.

Added coach Gillis, "Colter's been really good in that situation all year and he hung in there. I thought he pitched really well."

It was the second time on the night FWB stranded the bases loaded, leaving the home team with 12 runners left on base.

Absorbing the loss was Nick Rathke, who was lights out aside from his pair of mistakes to Sullivan. The senior right-hander struck out four and allowed just three runs – two earned – on four hits and a pair of walks. Nick Boswell tossed a scoreless seventh in relief.

But those mistakes loomed large to Sullivan, who wasted little time putting his stamp on the night. After falling behind 0-2, he turned on a fastball on the inner part of the plate for a no-doubter well clear of the left field wall. Rathke's reaction said it all, the right-hander hanging his head after in disgust after failing to waste a pitch.

Dustin Kervin led off the third inning with a walk and Pierce Cadenhead laid down a sacrifice bunt, but a dropped throw at first base put runners on the corners. Sullivan then jumped on a inside fastball and drove the offering off the left field wall, narrowly missing his second homer of the night but driving in the pair to stake the Bulldogs to a 3-0 lead.

Given an extra out in the fifth, the Vikings would have an answer on the bat of Jones.

Joe Guidry reached on an errant throw from shortstop Corey Armstrong to lead off the frame, but Gillis bounced back by getting Casey Wehrhahn to fly out to left before striking out David Mayberry. Darren Hasch kept the inning alive with a double to left center to put two men in scoring position for Jones, who laced a two-run double just inside the right field line.

"I really think a lot of Fort Walton Beach," coach Gillis said. "They have a lot of great players and I really think it's going to be a war in the district. We just have to take it one game at a time."

FORT WALTON BEACH — Nick Rathke's first mistake was hanging an 0-2 pitch to Crestview outfielder Hunter Sullivan. The Fort Walton Beach right-hander's second was making the exact same pitch two innings later to Sullivan.

The two down-the-middle fastballs resulted in a first-inning solo homer and later a two-run double in the third frame to lead Crestview to a 3-2 win over Fort Walton Beach in Friday’s District 1-7A opener at Daniel D. Bohannon Field.

"It feels awesome," said Sullivan, who went 2 for 4 with three RBIs. "It was a team effort tonight and I just love my team."

Asked if he was surprised Rathke made the same mistake, Sullivan responded, "Real Surprised."

So was Crestview head coach Tim Gillis.

"He's an aggressive hitter," Gillis, whose team is 4-3 overall, said. "He got a couple of pitches to hit and took advantage of it. He's been like that all year."

Picking up the win for Crestview was Matt Gillis, who kept Fort Walton Beach (2-3, 0-1) off balance the entire night. The senior left-hander struck out six and allowed two runs – zero earned – on seven hits and a pair of walks. But he needed help from Colter Hancock to close out the win.

Matt Gillis was chased after Casey Wehrhahn laced a double off the left field wall, David Mayberry beat out an infield single and Darren Hasch sacrificed the two into scoring position. In came Hancock, who gave up an initial infield single to Kevin Jones before racking up back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded to close out the district win and earn the save.

Added coach Gillis, "Colter's been really good in that situation all year and he hung in there. I thought he pitched really well."

It was the second time on the night FWB stranded the bases loaded, leaving the home team with 12 runners left on base.

Absorbing the loss was Nick Rathke, who was lights out aside from his pair of mistakes to Sullivan. The senior right-hander struck out four and allowed just three runs – two earned – on four hits and a pair of walks. Nick Boswell tossed a scoreless seventh in relief.

But those mistakes loomed large to Sullivan, who wasted little time putting his stamp on the night. After falling behind 0-2, he turned on a fastball on the inner part of the plate for a no-doubter well clear of the left field wall. Rathke's reaction said it all, the right-hander hanging his head after in disgust after failing to waste a pitch.

Dustin Kervin led off the third inning with a walk and Pierce Cadenhead laid down a sacrifice bunt, but a dropped throw at first base put runners on the corners. Sullivan then jumped on a inside fastball and drove the offering off the left field wall, narrowly missing his second homer of the night but driving in the pair to stake the Bulldogs to a 3-0 lead.

Given an extra out in the fifth, the Vikings would have an answer on the bat of Jones.

Joe Guidry reached on an errant throw from shortstop Corey Armstrong to lead off the frame, but Gillis bounced back by getting Casey Wehrhahn to fly out to left before striking out David Mayberry. Darren Hasch kept the inning alive with a double to left center to put two men in scoring position for Jones, who laced a two-run double just inside the right field line.

"I really think a lot of Fort Walton Beach," coach Gillis said. "They have a lot of great players and I really think it's going to be a war in the district. We just have to take it one game at a time."